Mooring device



March 4, 1969 E. LEZAK .moonme DEVICE Shee t Filed Dec. 11, 1967 INVENTOR. EDWARD LEZAK ATTORNEY March 4, 1969 E. LEZAK MOORING DEVICE Filed Dec.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,430,600 MOORING DEVICE Edward Lezak, 50 E. Barclay St., Hicksville, NY. 11801 Filed Dec. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 689,518 US. Cl. 114-230 Claims int. Cl. B63b 21/16 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a mooring device and particularly to apparatus for securing small boats and the like to a dock, sea wall, pier or other land connecting mooring facilities.

As is no doubt well known, wave action, storm conditions, wind and tide have a pronounced effect upon the position and attitude of a boat even when docked. The safety of a docked boat depends almost entirely upon the strength and security afforded by its moorings and the extent of damage to the boat which may be caused by storm, wind and tide is minimized by a secure mooring.

It is essential in mooring small boats to provide for a large degree of vertical movement to enable the boat to rise or fall with the corresponding movement of the tide. It is also essential to permit the boat to roll and pitch to compensate for changes in wave patterns. It is, however, preferred to limit or entirely eliminate the ability of the boat to travel or to move bodily in on the water in a plane parallel or horizontal thereto or transverse to the dock. Any such travel, even slight, greatly increases the possibility that the boat will contact the pier or dock or become loose from the mooring, drift and overturn in high seas or storms.

It is further most desirable to provide a mooring which is, of course, rugged and sturdy of construction but which is simple to operate and manipulate. Manipulation, of course, is preferred from the pier or dock rather than from the boat. In manipulating the device, it must be possible to adjust the distance of the boat from the dock and easily vary this distance so as to compensate for the roughness of tide, wind and wave and to enable the boat to be brought close to the pier for boarding.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a r mooring device in which the above adverse factors as well as the desired virtues enumerated are amply provided for.

It is a specific object of this invention to provide a mooring device which may be easily installed in any existin g pier, dock or other facility.

It is another specific object of this invention to provide a mooring device having an extendible boom and means for securing a boat thereto which means may be operated from dockside to vary the distance between boat and dock.

It is another specific object to provide a mooring device having an extendible boom which is fixed against all but vertical movement to thereby prevent horizontal, transverse and rotary movement of the boat on the water.

It is another object to provide a mooring device having an extendible boom employing a novel means for fixedly connecting the boat to the boom so as to prevent unwanted boat travel.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a docked boat showing the mooring device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along line 22 of FIG. 1 showing a device in use;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the device taken in the direction of line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view, partially sectioned of the device;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a detailed view of a reversible ratchet mechanism employed in this device.

Referring now to the illustrated embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-6, there is shown in FIG. 1 boat 10 moored to a dock 12 by a pair or set of mooring devices according to the present invention generally designated 14. The advantages sought by the present invention are best obtained by the combined use of a pair or set of mooring devices 14 one at the bow and one at the stern of the boat as shown. The devices are identical except they are left and right sides or opposite hand images of each other, and therefore in FIGS. 2-6 only one is shown which will be described in detail.

With particular reference to FIG. 1 each mooring device 14 comprises a mounting bracket 16 secured to the dock, formed of a pair of steel plates welded, forged or otherwise secured together at right angles to each other to provide a vertical bulkhead 18 and a horizontal base 20. The mounting bracket 16 may be made of steel, aluminum or any other suitable rigid and strong material and may be bolted or otherwise fastened to the dock in any suitable and convenient manner. Reinforcement as by the use of a gusset plate, as seen in FIG. 1, may be used if desired.

Secured to the bracket 16 is a vertical U-shaped post 22 extending upward from the base 20 to which is fastened a hollow boom member 24. The post 22 is preferably channel shaped in order to provide rigidity, strength and durability. It may, however, be cylindrical or rectangular in cross section or it may, on the other hand, be comprised of a pair of spaced standards otherwise reinforced for the purpose.

The boom 24 is pivotally secured at 26 for movement in a vertical plane to the vertical post or standard 22 adjacent its rearward end 28, so that it extends partially through the standard. The boom 24 extends over the .bulkhead 18 so that its outer end 30 lies over open water. Telescoped within the hollow boom 24 and extending outwardly therefrom is an arm member 32 at the end of which is provided a latching mechanism 34 to which the boat 10 may be ultimatel secured. In certain instances, for example, when securing small outboard boats, a spider 36 may be employed as an adjunct for the latch mechanism.

Further securing the boom 24 to the mounting bracket 16 are a pair of adjustable length chains 38, the forward end of each being secured to a side of the boom 24 approximately midway of its length. The rear end of each of the chains is secured to opposed corners of bulkhead 18 so as to angularly connect the boom 24 to the bulkhead 18. Each chain 38 is provided with a turnbuckle device 40 so that upon suitably tightening, the chains are caused to rigidly fix the boom 24 within the standard 22 against rotary or transverse movement in a general plane perpendicular to the vertical plane in which the boom is pivotally mounted.

Attached to the upper part of the boom 24 adjacent its forward end is the end of a third chain or rope 42 which is secured to at its other end to a take-up reel 44 having a handle 46. The chain 42 is caused to be wound on reel 44 consequently causing the boom 24 to pivot in a vertical plane about point 26 raising (in dotted lines) or lowering the end 30 (in full lines) as shown in FIG. 2. It Will be observed that while the winding of the rope or chain 42 on reel 44 will result in the upward and downward movement of boom 24, the chain 42 does not otherwise prevent the pivoting of the boom 24.

Interposed in and intermediate the ends of the rope or chain 42 is a resilient, yieldable snubber 48. The rope line 42 is sufficiently long to allow tthe boom 24 to be moved between its vertical upward position marked A shown in broken lines in FIG. 2 to its lowest downward position marked B extending down below the dock. In practice, the line 42 is wound about the reel 44 and locked to position the boom 24 at the desired angle of inclination or declination relative to the dock. However, as the tide rises or falls it is important that the boom member be permitted to pivot at 26 with the tide without changing the setting of line 42 about the reel.

Thus, the snubber 48 performs an important function. By being interposed in the line 42 the length of the snubber 48 makes its part of the line yieldable, absorbing the weight of the boom and removing it from the boat 10. The snubber applies a tension to its integrally connected portion of the line to eliminate by absorbing sudden rising and falling movements of the boom with the boat and tidal waves. The loop in the line 42 is made sufficiently long such that once the line 42 is locked in its position, there is enough spare length of the line in its loop to accommodate the extremes of rise and fall of the tides and waves. Hence, as the snubber 48 expands and stretches with the fall of the boom in response to the dropping of the boat and tide, the loop of the line decreases in size. It will be clear that the snubber 48 absorbs forces applied to the line 42 due to sudden changes while counter balancing the weight of the boom 24. In use a spring and other more complex structures may be used for this purpose.

At this point, it will be observed that the device is constructed to permit movement of the boom in only one manner, namely, to pivot in a vertical plane perpendicular to the surface of the dock or water, as represented in FIG. 2 where the extreme uppermost boom position is shown in position marked A and the extreme lowermost boom position is shown in position marked B. Thus, the boat which is secured at the end of the boom 24 (or arm 32) can only move bodily in a vertical direction as with the fall and rise of the tide. The boat will be unable to move bodily in a horizontal plane generally parallel to the surface of the water or transverse to the dock or pier. Accordingly, travel is prevented.

Turning to FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, there will be seen a ratchet device for take-up reel 44. The reel 44 is pro- 1 vided with an axle 50, journalled on the standard 22, coaxially secured and keyed to an end of which, outside of the standard 22, is a ratchet wheel 52 as well as the handle 46. Pivotally secured at 54 to the standard 22 is a two-faced ratchet dog 56 having a handle 57. The dog 56 is reversible into engagement either with the right hand side (as shown in full lines) or with the left hand side (as shown in dotted lines) of the ratchet reel 52 as seen in FIG. 6. Thus, by reversal of the dog 56, the reel 42 can be safely secured against slippage even when raising or lowering the boom 24. While this novel ratchet mechanism is to be preferred because of its obvious safety features, other more conventional ratchet devices or reel securing devices may be employed to lock the take up reel 44. This ratchet device is not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 because of limited space.

The arm 32 is generally of the similar cross section to v the boom 24 into which it is telescoped and of approximately the same length. To stabilize the arm 32 and provide for its smooth movement within the boom, there is provided a plurality of roller members 58 spaced along the bottom and side walls of the boom 24 adapted to contact the corresponding surfaces of the arm 32. It Will here be obvious that with the provision of roller or hearing members, the relative cross sections of boom 24 and arm 32 are in no way critical and may be cylindrical or oval for example rather than rectangular as shown.

Reciprocal movement of arm 32 within the boom 24 is provided by securing an elongated rack 60 substantially the entire length of the top side of the arm 32 and by rotatably mounting a pinion 62 to engage the upper surface of the boom 24 so as to extend therethrough into engagement with the rack 60. Noting the details shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the pinion 62 is journalled on an axle 64 secured to the boom 24. Also journalled on axle 64 for rotation with the pinion 62 is a bevel gear 66 which is engaged by a corresponding bevel gear 68 keyed or otherwise secured to the end of an elongated shaft 70.

The shaft 70 extends rearwardly of the device, being supported by suitable bearing members 72, and terminates in gear 98 engaging gear 100 of electric motor 96 forward of the bevel gear 74 adjacent the bulkhead 18. The rear bevel gear 74 is engaged by still another bevel gear 76 journalled to a shaft 78 to which a detachable handle 80 is attached. By thus cranking handle 80 or operating the motor pinion 62 is operable to move the arm 32 in the desired direction consequently carrying the boat 10 toward or away from the dock.

The latching mechanism 34 is mounted at the extreme outer end of arm 32 and includes an angular bracket 82 having a split or bifurcated end 84 extending laterally from the arm 32. A pulley wheel 86 is placed between the spaced ends 84 for rotation. A swivel eye snap hook 88 is attached to a rope halyard shackle 94 on the spider 36 of the stern and also at the bow to a double shank boweye of the boat 10. A tie cord or line 90 is permanently tied to the swivel hook eye 88 at one end and then looped about the adjacent wheel 86 through the ends 84 and back to the swivel hook eye 88. The line 90 at each end of the boat is then pulled taut and knotted so the boat is evenly positioned between the bow and stern booms.

It will be observed that by the use of the latch mechanism 34 as described, it is basically rigid and whatever movement it does have is well defined and controlled. Thus, it will be observed that when the boat is docked between how and stern mooring devices 14, the latching mechanisms 34 secure the same to the bow and stern mooring devices 14 for movement therewith in the vertical direction, but against movement in the horizontal direction. The movement permitted by the latch mechanism allows the boat 10 to pitch and roll but not to travel lengthwise as discussed previously,

The boom 24, with a telescoping arm 32, enables the boat 10 when secured to it to be moved, as desired, toward and away from the dock 10. By referring to FIG. 2, it will be obvious that boarding the boat, for example, can be facilitated by drawing it as close to the dock as possible (in dotted lines) while safety in rough weather can be enhanced by moving the boat as far away from the clock as possible (in full lines) thereby preventing possible damage to the boat. To enable the boat to be drawn as close to the dock as possible, the boom 24 is provided with a slot 92 into which the bracket 82 can enter. Thus the end of the arm 32 to which the bracket 82 is attached can be moved inwardly beyond the extreme end 30 of the boom 24. The effective range of reciprocation of arm 32 is thus enlarged.

Under retracted circumstances, while the rear of the arm 32 extends beyond the rearward end 28 of the boom 24, no serious difficulty is encountered in vertically raising the boom out of use as seen in FIG. 2. Since the boom, pivoted at 26, is at some height above the surface of the dock 12, the rear end of arm 32 (in dotted lines) is thus free to extend for some distances without interfering with the surface of the dock 12. The boom can be thus raised to an almost vertical position.

I claim:

1. A mooring device for securing a boat in conjunction with a dock or the like comprising an angular bulkhead adapted to be secured to the clock,

a standard on said bulkhead and having a cut out defined therein,

a boom pivotally mounted at one end to said standard for movement in a plane vertical to the surface of the dock and extending outwardly therefrom,

an arm on said boom and movable relative thereto along the length thereof to vary the effective outward lengthwise extent of the boom from said standard and bulkhead,

and said standard allowing said arm to move rearwardly through said out out of said standard,

a latch for securing said boat,

means for attaching said latch to said boom arm for reciprocal movement with said arm relative to said boom,

and means mounted on said boom and operable from the boom for moving said arm and latch relative to the boom to vary the effective outward and rearward extend of the boom arm to thereby move the boat toward and away from the dock.

2. A- mooring device for securing a boat to a dock or the like comprising a standard having a base adapted to be fixed to the dock,

a hollow boom pivotally mounted adjacent one end to said standard for movement in a plane vertical to the surface of said dock and extending outwardly therefrom,

an elongated arm mounted for telescoping movement within said arm,

a latch mounted at the outer end of said arm,

a rack secured to said arm,

a pinion secured to said boom in engagement with said rack, and

means mounted on said boom for operating said pinion and reciprocating said arm within said boom whereby said boat may be moved toward or away from said dock.

3. The device in accordance with claim 2 in which the means for operating said pinion comprises a manual crank and gear means.

4. The device according to claim 2 in which the means for operating said pinion comprises a forward and reversible electric motor and means for actuating the same.

5. The device in accordance with claim 2 in which said boom is provided with an elongated slot along a substantial portion of its entire length adapted to receive the latch mechanism therein whereby the entire arm may be caused to be retracted within said boom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,558,174 6/1951 Flink 114230 2,640,534 6/1953 Cofiing 114-230 X 3,177,838 4/1965 Grimes 114230 3,307,514 3/1967 Young 114-230 TRYGVE M. BLIX, Primary Examiner. 

